Several types of security arrangements are available to provide security for a variety of buildings. One arrangement utilizes a "breaking and entering" type of alarm system. In this type of arrangement, an alarm is tripped in response to opening a locked door or breaking a window. Adjunct electronic equipment detects the opening and breaking actions which usually indicate unauthorized entry. This type of security arrangement works well to generate an alarm when the system remains active. However, if the adjunct electronic equipment is the subject of tampering, i.e., the alarm is deactivated, no security is provided for the building. These types of security arrangements are usually highly visible and therefore, can be easiy deactivated.
Other security arrangements for buildings utilize an internal security guard to remedy the problem of deactivation of an electronic alarm. The guard tours the entire building and looks for unusual types of activities or circumstances, such as the presence of an intruder. In this type of arrangement, a tour usually includes a number of checkpoints located along the route of the tour. The checkpoints are typically visible hardware devices comprising specialized transmitters and receivers that are hardwired to some type of alarm facility monitoring device. These checkpoints serve as interfaces between the guard and the alarm facility. Several different types of checkpoint arrangements are available.
One type of checkpoint arrangement operates in response to a "key" which locks and unlocks a number of designated lock boxes. In this arrangement, a guard tours the building and checks-in at the various lock-box locations throughout the building. These lock boxes are electronically triggered mechanisms. When a guard unlocks a box, this action generates a signal to an alarm panel. This signal activates an indicator on the alarm panel to identify the location of the guard on the tour route. The indications on the alarm panel represent the guard's progress in the tour.
Another type of checkpoint arrangement utilizes specialized telephone equipment. This telephone equipment is strictly used for check-in purposes only. A direct connection exists only between the telephone and some type of alarm facility. These telephones are not integrated into the internal PBX switching system associated with the building. Therefore, no other call processing for incoming and outgoing calls is available for this telephone equipment. Additionally, the telephone equipment utilized in this checkpoint arrangement is easily detectable since such telephones are usually designated as security telephones either by color or style. A touring guard picks up the receiver at one of the many security telephones to generate an alarm and the alarm facility pinpoints the location of the guard. Each security telephone is independent from the other security telephones since each telephone is independently hardwired to the alarm facility. During a tour, a guard's location is pinpointed only when the guard checks in at any one of the designated security telephones located throughout the building. There is no integral relationship between the telephones utilized in this arrangement.
Several other types of security guard tour arrangements exist having similar structural arrangements. These arrangements have several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that most of these systems are isolated electronically and communicatively from the PBX system in the building. Therefore, an individual located at an alarm facility monitoring device must take alternative measures to generate an external alarm and alert the appropriate authorities for assistance. The traditional checkpoint stations are not integrated with the internal PBX system.
Additionally, the traditional checkpoint arrangements utilize hardwired adjunct equipment to serve as checkpoints. A tour guard has access to only currently installed checkpoint equipment and only with the inclusion of additional equipment can the tour be expanded or altered. A further disadvantage of the above-described security arrangements is that each hardwired checkpoint is clearly detectable and identifiable (e.g., color, shape, structure). Any potential intruder can easily identify, at any time, a checkpoint. Also, since the alarm facility pinpoints the exact location of a guard when the guard checks in, a tour route is easily identified by observing the alarm facility. An interested observer or intruder can easily learn the route by following the guard on a tour to each of the fixed checkpoints or by observing the alarm facility monitoring device. Only by physically moving the checkpoints to different locations can the actual tour route be modified.
Another disadvantage of the currently available security checkpoint arrangements is that only a single tour loop is administrable at a time since most checkpoint security arrangements in a building provided only single loop structuring. A tour is limited by the available hardwired equipment that operates independently to activate an indication at an associated alarm facility. Although a single tour loop for a small building is adequate, a large building would require more than one tour loop. Concurrent tour execution requires a large amount of duplicated equipment. This equipment consumes extensive amounts of building space, and is costly to acquire and install.
In sum, all the currently available security systems are independent systems which include detectable adjunct hardwired component parts such as lock boxes or designated security telephones. These systems are usually rigidly structured single loop arrangements where each checkpoint operates independently from the other checkpoints located in the building. Security considerations are questionable in view of such a visible and nonflexible security arrangement.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a flexible security system which does not require detectable adjunct hardwired equipment and does not require modifications to the building structure to administer one or more concurrent guard tours.